21st century house call home tele-behavioral medicine

Abstract

Objective

This presentation will focus on and demonstrate the effective, secure, cost effective delivery of Tele-Behavioral Medicine services to patients in the privacy or their own home.

Method

Today's use of internet technology brings with it “cost effectiveness” for Tele-behavioral medicine applications. Today, with a relatively current laptop computer, a web-cam or iPad, broadband connectivity (256 kB or faster), and a downloadable, free, secure video conference application, makes this technology available literally and virtually everywhere, anywhere, in the world at any time.

Results

Medical History clearly supports the value of the “house call” as a means of getting to “see the entire picture”. Chronically ill patients are frequently visited by home health nurses and or “in home” medical monitoring programs. Psychiatrically ill patients may now receive their medication management and behavioral intervention and assessment right in the privacy of their own home. Psychiatrists and psychologists merely schedule “in home” appointments with their patients in the same manner as they would if the patient were being seen in their office.

Conclusion

Chronically ill patients favored treatment rendered in “their private space” as well as providers tended to learn much more about their patients when the provider is the “guest” in the patients home versus the patient as the “customer” in the providers office. The convenience and cost savings for both provider and patient is significant. Availability of spouses, parents etc. was a valuable addition to the Tele-Home-Behavioral Medicine model.

Disclosure of interest

The author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.